CSMT-Solapur Vande Bharat via Pune Marks Three Years
Pune, 10th February 2026: The Solapur–Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Mumbai Vande Bharat Express completed three years of operation on February 10, 2026, marking three years of service on a key rail corridor that includes Pune as a major halt.
The Vande Bharat Express was flagged off from CSMT on February 9, 2023, becoming the ninth such semi-high-speed train introduced in the country. The service was launched to provide faster rail connectivity between Mumbai and Solapur.
Train Nos. 22226/22225 Solapur–CSMT Mumbai Vande Bharat Express covers a distance of 455 km in 6 hours and 30 minutes, compared to 7 hours and 55 minutes taken by existing superfast services, resulting in a time saving of about 1 hour and 30 minutes. The train operates six days a week and halts at Kurduvadi, Daund, Pune, Kalyan, Thane and Dadar.
The service connects several religious and tourist destinations along the route, including Siddheshwar Temple in Solapur, Akkalkot, Tuljapur, Pandharpur near Solapur and Alandi near Pune. Since its introduction, the train has seen consistent patronage from commuters, students, business travellers, tourists and pilgrims.
Initially introduced with a 16-coach Vande Bharat rake, the train was augmented to a 20-coach formation in August 2025 following sustained passenger demand. The current rake has a seating capacity of 1,440, including 1,336 Chair Car seats and 104 Executive Chair Car seats.
According to railway data, the Solapur–CSMT Vande Bharat Express has carried a cumulative total of 23,43,598 passengers up to January 2026, with an overall occupancy of 102.27%.
The train operates using push-and-pull technology, enabling it to negotiate the Bhor Ghat section between Karjat, Lonavala and Khandala—known for its steep gradient of 1 in 37—without the need for banker locomotives. The section is traversed twice on the same day during regular operations.
The completion of three years places the Solapur–CSMT Mumbai Vande Bharat Express among the early-generation Vande Bharat services currently in operation on the Indian Railways network.
